Britain has warned travellers against all but essential travel to Cuba after Hurricane Ike strengthened to an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm while closing in on the island nation.

With sustained winds near 215km/h, Ike was expected to barrel into Cuba on Sunday or Monday, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

"We advise against all but essential travel to Cuba," said the Foreign Office in London, forecasting that Ike would hit southeast Cuba, in the provinces of Holguin and Las Tunas, in the early hours of Monday.

Cuba, a popular destination for British and other holidaymakers, is still stinging from a hard hit in the west by Hurricane Gustav.

AFP